It has been nearly thirty years since I have seen Louise. When I came across her in the shopping center it was as if time had stood still for her. She still had the body with all the right curves in the right places and still walked like she was a top model on a runway.

She still dressed as she did in high school, a nice skirt that reached the top of knees, or just few inches above, with a matching blouse. She still wore high-heels but now they were a little higher than the two or two and a half heels back in high school, more like four or five inches. Her hair still had a soft brown color to it, but like many of us the gray strangles were starting to show here and there. The only thing different about her was her hair was now short, extremely short ….. more of a military cut boys and men were getting, like they did back in our young childhood years.

It was she who recognized me first.

"Bonnie", I heard a female voice call out. At first I didn’t pay any attention to it, because it could have been another Bonnie this voice was calling to. But, then she called, "Bonnie ….. Bonnie Meyers ….. Waivie Meyers".

That was the name that got my attention, "Waivie Meyers".

I had not heard that name since I graduated from high school and there was only one person who called me that ….. And, it was Louise Baker. I turned around looking for the voice, but did not see anyone I knew. Then, just as I started to continue walking away, "Bonnie Weivie Meyers ….. what ….. thirty years"?

I looked to my left and there stood this women, not looking any different than she did thirty years ago.

"Louise Baker", I called out as I stretched my arms out to greet her, she did the same. "Girl it’s been that long has it. And, look at you ….. You haven’t changes any".

We hugged and kissed each other. We both begin looking for some place to sit and talk about old time.

In high school she told everyone she was going to own her own beauty salon, as she liked doing other girls hair. Her’s was long and full, always full and clean. She never cut off more than a half inch every two or three months. It reached the middle of her back and that is where she wanted to keep it, "For the rest of her life", she would tell everyone.

On the other hand I had put on a few pounds, was wearing clothing a few sizes larger than I did in high school, and my hair was shoulder length and had more gray than the black hair I had back then, too. I wore shoes that were flat, or with just a small heel.

I was surprised at the length of her hair, which was cut short almost like a military hair cut. It was one of the first things I mention to her that was different from back then.

"Girl", she begin, "when Allen walked out on me just after two years of marrage – no children thank God – I told my self ‘I needed a change’. So, I sat down at the table one night and while I eat I wrote down things I thought I could do to change my life. Low and behold I had written down cutting my hair five times. So, I figured if I had written it down that many times I had to cut it.

"I spend two months looking through the hair magazine I had a the salon – you know I own three hair salons and five barber shops"?

"No I didn’t", I told her. "I remember you saying you wanted to own your own beauty shop, but you said nothing about barber shops. When did they come into play"?

"I was working for ol’ lady Camron", she continued. "Let’s talk as we walk to the food court ….. I am thirsty".

I agreed and we got up and started walking to the food court as she continued telling about "her change".

"Well, where was I", she thought. "O’ right ol’ lady Camron ….. I was working at her salon when Allen walked out on me and I started going down hill. Well, she pulled me aside and told me I had to get over him and pull myself back together or she would have to let me go.

"I think that was the push I needed. Because the next day I thought of changing my line of work, but then I thought of what I wanted for myself. I was reading the newspaper and came across the ad for "Midtown Barber and Beauty School". It said they were looking for students to be in there next barber school. So, I thought rather than quite being a hair stylist I would expand in to barbering. So, I went, signed up, and nine months later I was a licensed barber.

"It was three weeks before we finished, and took our exams, when our instructor called everyone in to a class room. There he told us who need what before they could take the written exam. Well, I had all that I needed so I was asked if I would be willing to help one of the others out.

"I told him ‘yes’. So, I started asking the six who need to do things what it was they needed to do.

"Well, five of them told me they had family or friends coming around, but Doris was hurting. She needed to shave a man’s face and give a short hair cut, and she had no family member willing to let her near them.

"What the hell, I told her, I’ll let you do that to me, if it will get you the time you need to take your exam with everyone. So, we talked to our instructor and he laughed but when he realized I was serious he agreed to let her do a face shave on me, but the short hair cut ….. he wasn’t that sure of.

"The next morning when we came in, first we had our classroom time, then it was to the floor.

"Doris asked if I was ready and I told ‘let’s do it’. She went and got the instructor, when they returned to her chair I was already sitting in it. Needless to say she passed the face shaving with easy. She could handle a straight razor very good. Next came the hair cut. Mr. Jackson turned looking for one of the male students who wasn’t busy and in need of a hair cut. But, they were all busy with customers.

‘"Looks like you’re going to have wait until I get one of the boys for the hair cut’", he told her.

"No need I told him, I’ll let her cut my hair like she needs to", I told them.

"He shook his head, ‘Miss Baker ….. you don’t understand. Doris had to do a short hair cut. She has to do a very short hair using clippers and clipping close to the scalp".

"I walked to her chair, sat in it ….. "So what! My hair will grow back", I told him.

"He shook his hair and told her "OK". Doris looked as if she didn’t want to do it, but I told her it was alright, that the change might help me. She looked at me not understanding but said "OK".

"When she was finished I looked like a Marine fresh out of Boot Camp. It was called a G.I. back then, nowadays it’s called a High-n-Tight. And, would you believe ….. women are getting their hair cut this short nowadays. So, I guess I was a head of times".

When we reached the food court we got a drink and talked some more about what has been going on with our lives. I told her about the lose of my husband of fifteen years to cancer and never marring again. That we, too, didn’t have children …. something we decided on before we got married.

Louise told me she too didn’t remarry, instead she tossed herself into her work and built her business to what it was now. As we said our "see you later", she handed me one of her business cards telling me, "Remember who use to do your hair when we were kids"!

I did remember back to then as we walked away. I remembered the day she wanted to cut my hair with real scissors. We were seven years old, had her mother not walked into her room when she did ….. I am sure I would have lose most of my hair. The scissors were larger and not the kind you use to cut hair.

It was about two months later that I came across her card in my purse. I looked at it and thought back to the day we ran into each other at the mall. I need a hair cut, but I still was going to Connie, who has been cutting my hair for the last twenty-six years ….. so why change ….. even for an old friend. Then, I remembered Connie telling me she was going to retire in a year. So, why not see what Louise can do for me.

I called the number on the card and was told I had to call her at "Louise’s Barber Shop" and was given the telephone number. When I called a young girl answered, "Louise’s Barber Shop, how can we help you"?

"Yes", I told her somewhat nervous, "Louise gave me her card a few months ago and said I should call for an appointment.

"We’re old friends from way back", I told her.

"I’m sorry", she answered, "but Miss Louise isn’t taking any new clients. Maybe I can make an appointment with one of our other barbers"?

"Hummmm", I complained. "But, Louise said I should ask for her. And, really would like for her to be the one I have the appointment with. Couldn’t you tell her it’s Bonnie M …. no better yet, tell her it’s Weivie, she will know who it is then".

"Weivie", she asked and I told her "yes". She put the telephone down and walked away.

About a minute later, "Weivie ….. I am sorry about that. When do you want to come by"?

"What have you got open", I inquired.

"Can you come by in …. O’ say two thirty", she asked me. "I usually take walk-ins around that time but can make arrangements for an ol’ friend".

"Sure", I told her, "two thirty will be find. I usually get my …"

"Just come" she interrupted me, "We’ll talk it over and see what I can do".

I agreed that was the best thing and we hung up. I looked at the clock on the office wall, it was eleven fifteen. I walked into my bosses office and told him I was taking some time owed and was going home at two. He said OK.

At two fifteen I walked out the office and drove to "Louise’s Barber Shop", located on Magazine Street across town from where I worked. I was looking for a strip mall but when I looked at the address again I realized her shop was in the Southland Mall. And, at this time of the day it would be hard to find a parking space close to an entrance.

It was a few minutes pass two thirty when I reached her barber shop. It was like any other barber shop around, except there was a receptionist who greeted everyone. As I got close to the shop I realized I had never been in a barber shop in my life. Not even as a child with my dad. But, I did have to walk pass one on my way to and from grammar school and I would look into the big window as I did so. I remember seeing the big chairs, not the small ones that are in a beauty salon. I thought they were comfortable looking back then, being so big, but now I was going to find out for sure.

"May I help you", the young woman asked as I walked in.

"Yes", I told her, "I’m a little late ….. I have an appointment with Louise".

See looking in the appointment book, "O’, yes. You’re Miss Louise’s friend. I am Mary and sorry about the confusion earlier". I smiled at her and she walked to the back of the shop.

Louise came out with her arms out strached, and a towel tucked in the collar of her blouse with her head all covered with something white, "You made it. I forgot to mention to you that we were in the Southland Mall".

"I must have come at a bad time", I told her.

"O’ this ….. no worry", she told me as she took my arm in hers and we walked toward the back of the barber shop. "I get off time when it’s a slow day …. like it is today. So, I asked Terri to do her magic for me. It’ll only take a about ten ….. fifteen at the most to finish me. Meanwhile, you can sit and look through some of the magazines we have and see it you find something you like. You know ….. pick out four or five".

As we walked to the back I notice there were only women working here, and they all had their hair cut really short. When we reached the back, Louise introduced me to Terri who was standing behind her chair waiting for us.

"Terri ….. this is my best friends from way back when", she told her, as Terri extended her hand. "We were the closes of friends back in grammar school and higher. She was one of my first clients back then. I use to do her hair every time we were together".

"Glad to me you", Terri said as we shook hands. "Louise ….. would you like for me to finish later"?

"No …. No", I commented. "You go ahead and finish taking care of Louise while I look through your magazines".

I walked to the magazine rack while Louise took sat in Terri’s barber chair. I chose about four magazines to look through. When I stood up I was looking into this long mirror that covered the wall where the waiting chairs were. I started to walk to a chair when my eyes caught site of Terri taking hold of the leather strap, that hung from the right arm of the barber chair, with her left hand and her right hand was moving up and down.

I turned a little and caught site of what she was doing ….. she was stropping a straight razor over the leather strap. I kind of looked up from my magazine, wondering why she was doing that. When it hit me like a brick …..

The white stuff on Louise’s head was not a hair coloring solutions, but shaving lather. My heart started pounding for some reason I could not figure out.

My full attention went to her chair as she raised the straight razor to the middle of Louise’s head and she started shaving downward. I tried to swallow in disbelief but I was too dry.

Louise just sat there with her eyes closed and a smile on her face.

I found my breathing getting deep and I swore I could hear my heart beating loudly. My eyes became fixed on the razor and it each and every movement.

"Louise, don’t you go and ….." Terri said to her, as she nudge her shoulder and looking at me. Louise’s eyes opened and they met mine.

"I like to have Terri shave my head about once a year", she told me. "She has this thing with the straight razor, it makes you want to just close your eyes and think you were in heaven".

Terri tilted her head down as she started shaving across the back of Louise’ head. When she started shaving the left side, Louise let out a moan and stretched her legs out from the footrest.

"Now ….. Now", Terri told her.

Louise just smiled and closed her eyes, as Terri begin shaving the last of the lather away.

Finished, Terri put the razor to rest and wiped Louise’s head of an excess lather. She then applied a lotion and wiped the excess off, too.

"There you go", she told Louise as she turned the chair to the mirror behind the chair. As the chair came to a rest Louise raised both her hands to her head and begin slowly moving her finger tips over her shaved head. I could see her and Terri making eye contact ….. This for some reason made my heart race a little more.

"Very nice and smooth as usual", Louise commented. Turning her head slightly over her right shoulder, she asked, "What do you think, Bonnie"?

"Wha ….. Wha ….," was all I could say, as I was still wondering if I saw what I saw.

"Don’t you think Terri did a good job of shaving my head", she inquired of me.

"Humm …. Uaaa", I heard my self say, "Yes, she did. But, I wouldn’t know much about that …. not having ….. having … havin done something like you just did".

Terri turned the chair around, Louise commented, "I am sure we all do things others don’t approve of ….. But, hell when you reach our age who cares". Louise stepped from the chair and looked at her self in the mirror behind me, as she brushed her fingers across her face.

"Come", she commanded as she reached her right hand out for mine, "let’s go to my chair and get started with you. We’ll have the rest of the afternoon to see what we can come up for you. You really need a change and I think you’ll like how I can help you with it".

We walked towards the front of the shop as she introduced me to the other women barbers. I felt myself staring at each of them as they extended their hand and we shook hands. Each one had a very short hair cut, I was starting to wonder if it was a requirement to work with Louise.

"Margo", the receptionist called, Margo had the chair next to Louise. "Yes" she answered looking toward the front.

"It’s Mrs. Pikeman", the receptionist started telling her. "Her daughter Carol Lynn is coming around in five, and she said to tell you it was alright for her to get her hair cut like she wants. She said the same one she wanted to get last week when they were here and she didn’t want her to get. Well, she said she changed her mind".

"Find", Margo replied as she went back to cleaning her area up. "When you hang up ….. call her back to make sure it was Mrs. Pikeman. You know how Carol Lynn is …..".

"Was going to do it anyway", Mary replied.

Louise had me sit in her barber chair.

"Comfee", she asked me.

I smiled, "Never sat in one till now. Yes, it is very comfee and a lot of room". She patted me on the shoulder as she turned the chair around so I was facing the mirror.

"OK" she said as she tossed the cape across me and pulled it up and around my neck. "So ….. have you found something you like. Or, would you rather we do a little looking together"?

I pulled the magazine from under the cape. I had three pages tabbed.

The first one was a little shorter than what my hair was at the time, but had more curling to it. There were four photos showing how you could comb the style. The second one was more a inverted bob that was cut high in the back with "the neck is buzzed close", Louise commented.

The third one was really short, but not as short as Louise had before Terri did her handwork, more like the other lady barbers were wearing. It too had photos showing how the cut could be combed in different way. One was more of a plaster look, which I really didn’t like. But, Louise kind of like it and though if I was looking for a really crazy change I should go for it. "After all you can let it grow out if you don’t like it", Louisse told me as she smiled and patted my shoulder.

"Well, I have had my hair at this length for …. since I don’t know", I told her as, for some strange reason, I crossed my legs. "I know I said I wanted a change but I am not really sure what I want"!

Louise smile at me in the mirror as she turned the chair back around, so I was facing the waiting chairs and the large mirror behind them.

When she stopped the chair I noticed another woman had come in and was sitting a chair a little to our right. Her hair was almost as short as the other barbers. Then, one of them stepped from the back of the shop.

"Cindy", the voice said. "Sorry no one told me you were here".

"Just came in", the women told her as she stood up and walked to the chair next to Louise’s.

"So, what are we going to do today", the lady barber, Milly, asked as Cindy stepped in the chair.

"I was thinking something like Louise ….. well not like now, but like she had a few weeks ago when I was in", Cindy commented as she sat and crossed her legs.

"ONE night High-n-Tight coming up", Milly said as she capped Cindy.

I felt the chair being nudged to the right a little, now I was looking at Milly’s chair in the mirror. Then, I felt Louise combing my hair out. "You need a good warm shampoo", she told me as I felt the back of the chair being lowered. Soon I was looking up at the ceiling and Louise was shampooing my hair with warm water.

After the second shampoo she wrapped my head in a towel and raised the chair. When it came up I was looking in the mirror at Milly and her customer, Cindy. She had not started cutting but was brushing her hair out from the center of her head.

Louise begin drying my hair with the towel but did not say a thing. She could see how my eyes were fixed on Milly’s chair and the look of interest on my face. Then, I felt my head being pulled as I noticed Louise was combing my hair from a center part.

"Girl …. you still have knotting hair like when we were five", she told me as she combed more and more until my hair was combed out wet and laying down my head.

"Why don’t we look through a few other magazines why you hair dries a little", she told me as she put the comb on the shelf and walked over to the magazine rack. When she came back she handed me one and she kept the other one.

"Look through it and see if you can find a few more styles and I’ll look in this one", she said.

I started looking in the magazine when I heard a loud "CLICK", and looked up just as Milly brought the clippers up to the right side of Cindy’s head. Without saying a word she pushed the clippers up high and pulled it away sending about two inches of hair to the floor. Quickly she made another push of the clippers send more hair into the cape. Cindy just sat there as if this was nothing different from any other hair cut she had gotten.

Just as Milly started clipping the back of Cindy’s neck and head my eyes caught site of hair quickly falling passed then. I looked up at the large mirror just as Louise was combing another section of hair. I wanted to ask her what she was doing, after all we, rather I, hadn’t decided what I wanted. But, my eyes saw another section of hair fall pass them. I found myself taking a deep breath as a shiver ran down my body.

A bump of the chair by Milly as she walked to the left side of her chair, caused me to look back at what she was doing to Cindy’s hair. As she worked forward I noticed how short the back of Cindy’s head was. Had it not been that her hair was dark brown hair, under her blond color, you would have thought she was being shaved. You could see a whitest skin color.

I felt my head being gently pushed downward, just as Milly made the last pass with her clippers. I felt Louise comb a section of hair low on my neck, then she let go of whatever was uncut. She continued this moving upward, then starting again at the hairline and working upward. Then, my head was nudged to the right as she started combing and cutting.

I wanted to say something but each time I started I was nudged and my attention went to Milly’s chair, and the hair cut she was giving Cindy. With this last nudge I looked up just as Milly was moving the clippers over the top of Cindy’s head, leaving behind hair so short it too almost looked as if it was being shaved off.

As she being a second pass, I noticed Cindy’s eyes were closed and she was stretching her legs out then slowly lowering them back to the footrest. After a few more passes Milly turned off the clippers and hung it under her shelf. Then, she turned the upper part of her body and undid the cape pushing it off Cindy’s shoulders so it fell into her hair covered lap.

"HI, Miss Louise ….. Milly", a young girl’s voice commanded.

"Hi, Carol Lynn", Louise said to her. "Margo stepped in the back. She’ll be out in a few minutes".

Carol Lynn slowly walked behind Louise’s chair. "My My ….. what have you done Miss Louise. Can I touch it", as she raised her hands to Louise’s head.

Louise lowered her head so Carol Lynn could touch the smoothness.

"Ooooo", she commented, "I’d like to do this next summer"!

Louise smiled and pointed to Margo’s chair, "Have a seat young lady. And, don’t go getting any ideas".

Carol Lynn sat in Margo’s chair, when Margo came from out the back of the shop.

"Hi Margo", Carol Lynn said as she reached her right hand out. "Mom said I could do it ….. She called, right"?

Margo took her hand in hers’, then patted her on the right shoulder, "Yes she did. And, we called back to make sure it wasn’t one of your friends again. When will you teenagers learn ….. we did all those tricks when we were your age".

Carol Lynn’s hair wasn’t that long, just about two, maybe three, inches above her shoulders. It was straight and full. Margo tossed the cape across her then pulled it in place around her neck.

"The quick way", Margo asked her, "or the long way"?

"Surprise me", Carol Lynn said as she closed her eyes.

Louise saw that my attention had turned to Margo’s chair. She stepped to the left side nudging Margo. Margo looked in the mirror behind her chair and into the mirror behind the waiting chairs. She saw that my eyes were glancing between Milly’s chair and hers’. So, she picked up a hair brush, "Let’s brush your hair out first".

Louise then nudged her chair more to Milly’s chair, just as she was spreading shaving lather along Cindy’s hair line. When she was finished she wiped the excess lather off her hand and removed a straight razor from the glass cases on the shelf. She stropped the open razor over a leather strap, haning from the right arm of the chair. Then, she started shaving a short section alone the hair line. First the right side, then down, across, and up the neck, then up and over the left ear.

She wiped the excess lather from Cindy’s hair line, dusted some hair powder over her head and face and lowered the chair.

As Cindy rose from the seat she brushed her finger over her new hair cut. Stepping from the chair she walked to the large mirror. She tuned her head from side to side, smiling as she did this.

"Damn, I hope this isn’t too short for Rob", she said as she picked up her purse.

"Don’t worry", Milly said, "I am sure it will please him, like it did you when I shaved his head".

Cindy handed Milly a tip and they smiled at each other.

"See you next week", Cindy said as she walked to the front of the shop to pay and be on her way.

"CLICK" ….. the sound of clippers coming to life sounded in my left ear. I looked around for the sound only to find it quickly. Margo as standing behind her chair with the singing clippers in her right hand. I didn’t notice that Louise had slowly moved her chair around as I watched Cindy walk by. I was now looking at Carol Lynn, sitting in Margo’s chair with her eyes softly closed.

I did a dry swallow just as she moved the clippers over Carol Lynn’s head, resting it in the center at the hair line. Slowly she moved the clippers back, as Carol Lynn smiled. Hair begin to pile up in front of the clippers as she did this, sending a large pile of red hair to the floor behind the chair.

"DAMN ….. that felt good", Carol Lynn said as Margo brought the clippers back forward.

"Watch your mouth young lady", Louise commented, "or you might end up with my hair cut".

Carol Lynn opened her eyes, just as Margo as begin the next pass of the clippers over her head, and looked at Louise in the large mirrors. "I can only dream of it for the next five years", she told Louise.

Then, I heard a CLICK behind me. My head was pushed down as I took a deep breath. I could not beleive I was just sitting her not saying a work. I felt the cool clippers move up the back of my neck, then to my head. Louise didn’t move the clippers off until she had reach the top of my head. As strange feeling came to my stomach, "LOUISE ….. what the hell are you doing"!

"Sssssssssss", I heard her say, "wouldn’t want the first good hair cut I give you end up like the one I have, now wouldn’t we".

I felt myself take another deep breath causing my body to rise up in the chair, just as she begin pushing the clippers up the back of my head.

"Just close your eyes and enjoy", I head Carol Lyne’s soft voice say. My eyes looked in the mirror to see Margo had clipper all the hair off the right side of her head, and was doing the same on the left side. "My God, she cutting all that girls’ hair off", I thought to myself just as I felt the clippers climb up behind and over my left ear.

I closed my eyes as Carol Lynn said, and found the clipping to be more pleaseant. I sat there as I felt the clippers move over the left side of my head, then the right side. When I opened my eyes Louise was holding the clippers in front of my eyes.

It was then I noticed there was not attachement on it. I looked in the mirror and saw all the hair on both sides of my head had been clippered extremely close to my head. "Aaaaaaaaaa …. what the hell are you doing to my hair Louise", I cried out as my body rose a little from the chair.

"Now … now, Bonnie", Louise said as she pushed me back in the chair. "You wanted something different"!

I looked at myself ….. I could not believe Louise was doing this to me. I could not believe I had not said anything when I heard, then felt, the clippers. But, that funny feeling came back to me, my body shivered as it forced me to sit down in the chair.

I looked in the morror just as Margo was dusting Carol Lynn’s head and face. I could not believe that I thought she looked great with all her hair buzzed off, but damn she did. Just then my eyes glanced forward as Louise placed it at my hair line. I took a deep breath and felt my head lean forward. Before I knew it Louise was pushing the clippers over the top of my head leaving behind hair as short as my hair was on the sides of my head, and even the back. I was letting her buzz me bald like Margo had done Carol Lynn.

"DAMN", Carol Lynn let out as she saw what Louise was doing to my hair. "Go for it Miss Louise … Go for it".

"That’s it young lady", Margo barked out. "You sit right here and don’t move from my chair". She sat back in the chair and crossed her legs and smiled, "FIve years might becoming quicker than I think".

Louise begin another pass over my head, leaving behind hair so short I could hardly see it.

"Yes, Connie’, Margo was saying as she came back with the cordless telephone. "Twice ….. and loud, too I may add. Yes I agree, but then …. you know.

"OK, I understand. No problem I’ll take care of her for you".

Margo put the telephone on the shelf and took a large white towel from under it.

"Well, young lady it looks like you are going to get a hair cut just like Louise", Margo said as she tucked the towel in Carol Lynn’s blouse.

"NO NO NO", Carol Lynn begin saying as she and Margo started laughing. "You had a talk with mom before I came in, didn’t you"?

"Yes", Margo said as she wrapped Carol Lynn’s head with another towel, which she had held under warm water.

It was then I felt Louise tucking a large white towel in my blouse, then tossing another one in the sink where warm water was flowing. It was then I knew the fate of what hair I had left. I was going to walk out of ‘Louise’s barber Shop’ with the same hair cut I saw her get when I came in ….. Louise was going to shave my head smooth like hers and I wasn’t doing anything to stop her.

I watched as Margo lathered Carol Lynn’s head with warm shaving lather, soon Louise would be doing the same to my head. My body relaxed as my mind told me of this. I was at peace that it was going to be done by Louise and not one of the others. I would have not allowed them to do this to me, only Louise.

Margo started shaving Carol Lynn’s head, as they talked Louise begin to lather my head. God the warm lather felt so good and relaxing.

"You’re mom will be coming", I heard Margo say, "in a few minutes to get her head shaved. So, you’ll have to wait for her". Carol Lynn smiled and said "OK".

I then felt the sharp edge of the straight razor touch my head. My body did a quick downward shiver, again, as Louise begin shaving my head. I could hear the blade scrap the tiny hairs from my head. I felt the coolness of the shop’s air conditor’s breeze. My body shivered again, this time down and up. Why was I just sitting here letting her do this to me. The last thing I wanted, when I came in, was to walk out bald, but I was going to.

My attention turned to Margo as she shaved Carol Lynn’s head quicker than Louise was shaving mine. Carol Lynn was sitting there smiling with each stroke of the razor over her head. Then, again I was sitting here letting Louise do the same thing to me, but she was doing it much slower.

Time as passing ….. How fast I didn’t know but soon Margo was wiping Carol Lynn’s head of the excess lather.

My head was tilted downward as Louise shave the back of my head. I could feel more of the shop’s cool air on my head. My body was now shivering down and up my body with each stroke Louise make. Still I just sat as she shaved me bald as she was …… WHY I asked my self over and over, never getting an answer.

Then, the touch of the razor ended ….. Louise was waping the excess lather from my head. The chair was lowered as she dusted a sweet powder over my smooth scalp and across my face. When the chair stopped I slowly stepped out and walk to the mirrored wall. There I looked at my self ….. Bald …… No hair.

I looked wanting, but not wanting, to touch my head. My body was still shivering.

""BUZZZZZZZZZ …… GOOD MORNIN’ EVERYONE ….. What a sunny Saturday morning it is ….. The time is NINE A.M. ….. Time for all you sleepy heads to get up and enjoy this GREAT SATURDAY ……""

My body rose quickly from the sound of the clock radio coming on. I looked around ….. Yes I was in my bedroom. My hands wanted to go to my head ….. But, I wouldn’t let them.

My legs moved over the side of the bed, my body shivered as I stood. Slowly I walked to my mirrored chester-drawer. My eyes closed ….. Not wanting to see what I thought.

As I felt for the top my body begin to shake with nervous reactions.

Slowly I opened my eyes ….. I stirred at my self in the mirror. My hair was still there, flowing a little past my shoulder. I begin to breath easier ….. I was not BALD. It was just a dream.

Then, my eyes caught site of a small card on top of the shelf. It was the one Louise had given me a few earlier. "Louise’s Barber Shop Southland Mall No need to call for an appointment – Walk-Ins always welcomed", was printed on it. I turned it over and there it was, her "Private telephone number" for me to call.

I picked it and walked down stares for some coffee and O.J.

"There was a telephone in the kitchen, I could call from there", my mind told me.

I drank my O.J. and fixed a cup of coffee and played with Louise’s card. My mind was going back and forth about whether to call or not. Sip after sip I went back and forth ….. CALL ….. DON’T CALL. This went on for fifteen minutes as I took the last sip.

"I need another cup", I spoke out loud. I got up and poured another cup and sat down.

But, as I did my left hand grabbed the telephone. I set the cup down and begin to dial ……

"Louies"s Barber Shop ….. This is Mary …. How can I help you today", the female voice said.

My body froze. I was speechless.

"Anyone there", the voice asked. I didn’t know what to say. Then, ……

"YES", I heard myself say. "Is Louise there? Tell her it is Waiver calling for an appointment".

"O’, yes", the voice replied. "She said you would be calling. Let me get her for you".

I heard the telephone being put down and her walking away. I wanted to hang-up and run ….. Louise didn’t know my telephone number. I didn’t give it to her the other day, so she wouldn’t be able to call me back.

"Bonnie", Louise’s voice came over the telephone, "I knew you would be calling for an appointment. What ya’ say …… ten thirty"!

"Hi Louise", I somewhat calmly told her. "Ten thirty ….. ahhhhh … I just got up about an hour ago ……".

"OK …. still a sleepy-head I see", Louise quickly interrupted. "Let’s say eleven. Got you marked in for eleven ….. And, do I have a hair cut for you. It’s going to have your body doing the shivers all the time I am cutting your hair. Gota’ run …. eleven remember".

With that said Louise hung-up. I sat there shivering, still I got dressed and walked in Louise’s Barber Shop a little before eleven.

The End